M1 congestion fix commitment

Published: 27 April 2016

A $210 million election commitment to fix congestion on the M1 is a positive step towards solving one of South-East Queensland’s most enduring infrastructure challenges.

The announcement made by Opposition Leader Bill Shorten at a public meeting in Beenleigh on Tuesday night would see a $168 million contribution from an elected federal Labor Government to create additional southbound lanes on the M1 at the Gateway merge.

A further $42 million would come from the Queensland Government.

City of Logan Mayor Luke Smith said he was pleased the urgently needed M1 upgrade had been recognised by Mr Shorten.

“Logan City Council has been calling on the state and federal governments to come to an agreement on the M1 for several years,” he said.

“The cost of traffic congestion on the M1 between Brisbane and the Gold Coast — one of the busiest roads in Australia — already tops $2 billion a year and that figure will continue to grow until something is done to fix it.

“We also need these works fast tracked so businesses in the City of Logan can confidently move forward with investment to create new jobs and a stronger economy.

“Now we have a plan for the first stage of upgrades to the M1 and we are very grateful to Mr Shorten and the Member for Rankin, Dr Jim Chalmers MP, for making it one of the Opposition’s investment priorities.”

Since the 19 March election, Mayor Smith has met with many federal government and opposition representatives in the City of Logan and in Canberra to push the case for infrastructure funding throughout the City of Logan, including a solution to the M1 congestion.

Mayor Smith said he hoped the Opposition’s election commitment to the M1 demonstrated the urgent need for funding to the Federal Government.

“With the Commonwealth Games just around the corner, it’s now time for the Federal Government to put the people in the Brisbane-Logan-Gold Coast corridor first by announcing its own plan and timeline for fixing the M1.”